You Can't Stop, Yet

We pursue a goal of perfection, so there is always a need for more:

Reading 1 and 2 Thessalonians one can see the affection the Apostle Paul had for this group of Christians in Greece.  He wanted the best for them.  Several times he refers to some virtue, commending them for their past practice, but reminding them that they have not yet arrived. Concerning their daily life of living by Biblical principles the Apostle says, ". . . you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.  (1 Th 4:1) In chapter 4, verses 9-10, Paul commends them for their love, but goes on to say that they need to"excel still more." In the opening chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul gives thanks for the faith, love, and perseverance expressed in the lives of this young Church.  (1:3)   When he writes 2 Thessalonians he praises the Lord that their "faith is greatly enlarged," their love is growing "even greater," and their perseverance continued even in the face of persecution.  (1:3-4) These First-Century Christians set a pattern that we would do well to follow.  Short of heaven, I can always be sure that I haven't arrived yet (SeePaul's personal testimonyin Philippians 3.  Actually, I think we'll continue to progress even in heaven, but we'll wait til we arrive to talk about that.  For now, Christian friend, don't quit, don't slow down, don't even think about it. More!   It’s STTA.

The Gospel Saves and Changes:

Something To Think About Salvation and Change:

I’ve been working my way through a book by a couple of really smart guys.  D. A. Carson & Douglas J. Moo take as their goal to capture the flow of the books of the New Testament and of each individual book.  They do a good job of not only writing what it means, but what it feels like.  Note the word, “passionately” in the following quote.  If you read 1 and 2 Corinthians, or just 2 Corinthians 7 and 10-13, you’ll see the passion.  It wasn’t an athletic event or winning an argument that generated such emotion in the writing of the Apostle.  He was concerned for the spiritual lives of those in whom he had invested his life “ . . . Paul passionately develops a theology of the cross that shapes Christian ethics, Christian priorities, and Christian attitudes, the apostle directly confronts all approaches to Christianity that happily seek to integrate a generally orthodox confession with pagan values of self-promotion. The cross not only justifies, it teaches us how to live and die, how to lead and follow, how to love and serve. . . . The problem was not so much that they were relapsing into paganism, as that their Christian faith, however sincere, had not yet transformed the worldview they had adopted from the surrounding culture. They had not grasped how the theology of the cross not only constitutes the basis of our salvation but also and inevitably teaches us how to live and serve.”  Everything in opposition to the Gospel “must be overthrown:”  (Carson, D. A.; Carson, D. A.; Moo, Douglas  J.; Moo, Douglas  J. (2009-05-26). An Introduction to the New Testament.Zondervan. Kindle Edition.) As Paul said in another place,   “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.” I can understand the Apostle’s passion.  It has been a life-long battle personally, and at the heart of my life’s work.  It’s not as eloquent as the Apostle’s words, but the three words are loaded down with Passion. Live for Jesus! It’s STTA.

Something To Think About, Blessing, 4/8

"Blessed," "Blessing," or "Bless your heart."  I don't know of any other word that is as much a part of Christian jargon as the word bless.   Engineers don't give that label to a good design--"We are just so blessed that Mary came up with this new configuration for the Q-bolts."  Can you imagine an accountant, with his requisite spread-sheets, pronouncing the bottom line, "Blessed"? God is the bless-er.  We are blessed by things like a nice worship service, or a timely visit from a Godly friend. This isn't an anti-jargon piece.  It is a challenge.  Do we even know what we are talking about when we claim to be blessed.  I fear we don't.  Often that which "blesses me" is nothing more than Christianese for "I like it."  I find, though, that the Bible speaks of some very un-enjoyable Blessings.  In Luke 6 Jesus speaks of poverty, hunger, weeping, and persecution as being conditions of blessing.  While those who are well fed, rich, laughing and well-spoken-of as being those who are in a state of woe (Luke 6:20-26).  In Psalm 107 blessing begin with misery.  As an old joke about a mule goes, "First you got to get his attention."  (I've heard it told much better, but here is the joke.)   A song some young people have shared at our church asks, "What if Your blessings come through raindrops . . . ?"  (This is just a cellphone video, buthere Grace and Julia share the song at a sister church.)  Biblical blessing is more than feeling good; it is being made better. Too many of we preacher-types are looking for a message to make people feel better, and too many pew-sitters are looking for a more comfortable place to sit.  Too bad.  We are likely missing some blessings.   It's Something to Think About. Explore the Good News here.  A great place to start:

A Constant Remodeling project:

For about four decades I've been into remodeling, home repair, fixing-up, call it what you will.

Most of my efforts bear no resemblance to the popular shows on TV. It is interesting to watch one of the shows where they claim to be doing a low-cost project. Their budget for a room is often more than I paid for my house. Especially in our earlier projects, by far, the biggest question was what will it cost. I can show you walls that were built out of 2x4s that came out of other walls that were torn down. A long time before I had anywhere approaching adequate tools, I tore panel doors apart and cut them down or put mirrors in them, etc. etc. My current project involves a good bit of new material, but still, I'm working with what is there.

It's a lot like life. In the kind of remodeling I'm describing a person who does everything "by the book," will end up greatly frustrated, and will spend a lot of money. You can usually spot this kind of craftsman. Every ninety seconds or so they will loudly lament, "Nothing is square in this house." On the other hand a remodeller who doesn't have a good feel for what will work and last, will end up creating a project that will fall down around his ears in a year or too. (I know this from experience.) When you are doing what I'm talking about you have to take what is there and based on sound principles make it better with what you have on hand.

Christianity is not a way of life that only works on the controlled environment of a TV show. Where mistakes end up in the out-takes. Christianity is real-life way of life, where a person takes what is there--out of square and all--and then uses, following the directions in the Bible, what the Lord has provided to make progress.

Real people who really love the Lord.

The Lord has given us the resources--His word, prayer, the church, His own presence with us--to build a life to his glory. Done right our life won't look like every other Christian McMansion on the street. Rather the Lord enables us to build lives that have a character of their own. In fact some of the lives will be described as "characters." The Apostle Paul's fanatical Rabbinism became a part of his Christian persona, likewise John's compassion, and Peter's impetuosity. The Lord is building real people, in conformity with His word, increasingly taking on a look that becomes a clearer expression of Who He is. He is not creating Christian Stepfords.

How is your project coming?

It's STTA.